


Finders Keepers

by murdergatsby



Category: Z Nation (TV)
Genre: Character Death Assumed by Characters, Discussion of Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s02e07 Down the Mississippi, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Making 10K Laugh, Missing Scene, Platonic Cuddling, Self Care Education
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-01 01:12:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15763563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murdergatsby/pseuds/murdergatsby
Summary: “Do you ever think about that?” Sketchy asked. “Who you used to know, and who you know now, and whether or not you’d ever have met them if not for the end of the world?”--Down The Mississippi missing scene.





	Finders Keepers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Guttertwinks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guttertwinks/gifts).



> This was written for [guttertwinks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/guttertwinks). He wanted Sketchy/Skeezy, with maybe a little 10K, and I did what I could! Thank you for you support and request!! Writing this was fun.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Okay, kid. Alright.” Sketchy said, waving his arms in front of him as if he were surrendering to some unknown threat. He pushed himself up from the earthen floor he had been sharing with Skeezy- careful not to wake him as he pulled his arm out from under Skeezy’s head- and turned to look at the boy that was meant to be keeping watch. 10K looked back at him with wide eyes, bordering fear.

 _I must have not given him enough of a warning I was awake_ , Sketchy figured. He made a note to thank 10K for not shooting first.

10K sat on a large rock overlooking the Mississippi, separating Sketchy and Skeezy’s sleeping bodies from the embankment. He had his gun with him- just at his side- but his hands and focus were on a hissing, red road flare. Sketchy then wondered if the look 10K was giving him was embarrassment, and not fear; what Sketchy was interrupting was something vulnerable.

“What are we doin’?” Sketchy asked. He ignored the fact that he had already pieced the scene together.

 _“We’re_ not doing anything.” 10K muttered, before turning back to the slow moving water. His voice was just as low, quiet, and calming as the current- and, just as misleading. His chest felt as though it may be caving in.

10K didn’t plan on saying anything else, but he could feel Sketchy’s eyes stuck on the back of his head. When 10K turned to look at him again Sketchy had his eyebrows raised and expression expectant. Sketchy wanted him to explain it, and 10K sighed.

“If they’re out there,” he began. “They’ll be looking for me.” He didn’t need to specify _who_.

10k’s eyes once more found the water. He watched the way the seemingly-solid ink colored mass broke apart to lap out against the rocks in its way. The road flare turned their details to red neon, and 10K wished it would make the whole river that color.

“I want them to know where I am.”

With a laborious and vocal stretch of his spine, Sketchy invited himself to stand by 10K’s side. He made a clicky, groaning sound- an, _ahh-h_ , sound- that 10K easily associated with _bad news_ . Sketchy postured the way he did when he was telling stories; he had his chest puffed forward and eyes to the sky. He even placed a hand over 10K’s shoulder to offer him the ability to lean him in and hold him close. _For the drama_.

10K knew what was coming and, before Sketchy could speak, 10K shook his head.

“Don’t.”

Sketchy found himself caught with an open mouth, and an interpreted script. He looked back down to 10K, curiously. “ _Don’t_ what?”

10K kept his eyes to the water, refusing to give Sketchy the satisfaction of his full attention. He didn’t dislike Sketchy- far from it- but this… He didn’t want to hear what Sketchy had to say about _this_ . He already knew all there was to say about _this_.

“This isn’t my first time losing someone.” 10K stated.

Sketchy hummed to himself, reflecting. “‘Course not.” He agreed. “Sorry.”

10K’s impulse wanted him to say _“Good.”_ 10K’s inherent politeness wanted him to say _“It’s not your fault. How could you have known?”_

Instead, 10K shrugged his shoulders and kept his silence.

Sketchy made no move to go back to sleep. He stayed there, trying to find the same interest 10K had in the water, just long enough for 10k’s defenses to rest.

“It’s just weird-” 10K explained, with a suddenness that caused Skeezy to stir.

Both men turned to watch him roll in the dirt, and stretch his arms out above his head like an animal. He settled back to sleep with a happy yawn, and 10K and Sketchy moved their attention back to each other.

“-Not knowing for sure.” 10K continued. “Because, _I_ didn’t see it.”

10K paused, willingly this time, wondering if Sketchy would understand that. He knew it was nonsensical to believe anything was permanent in this world. He knew it was childish to get wrapped up in the hope that, even if Doc and the others were still alive, they would stick around to look for him. It would be dangerous to hang back in the hopes of someone who most likely drown.

10K suddenly felt queasy, but it passed.

“I always have to see it.” 10K mused allowed, fumbling over the words as they rushed from him.

“Yeah. Yeah,” Sketchy responded. “That’s always hard.” He looked truly melancholic hearing 10K talk like that. He did get it; there was a strange confusion that swallowed you when someone died out here, and you didn’t _see_ it. With the absence of newspapers, phones, social media, and other forms of broad communication and information sharing, it was sometimes hard to _believe_ the person you were missing was truly _gone_ unless you were directly involved with their passing. You couldn’t ask their neighbor about how they had been doing, and you couldn’t check the obits for a friendly name. The only positive to being the person stuck to mercy your loved ones was that you knew- exactly- where they were and how they died. No hoping they’ll turn up around the next corner, just to be crushed down when it’s just another empty alley. No wasting your energy praying for their safety when you could be praying for you own. You just… _know_ that they are dead, and that you had a good time with them.

“You been with them for a while?” Sketchy asked.

10k nodded. “About 3 years, I think.”

“Wow.” Sketchy congratulated. For a group so large, that was a good chunk of time. For a kid so young, Sketchy new that had been a _good_ chunk of time. _You have to measure this world by good days._

“Skeezy and I have known each other for- well, what feels like all that matters.” He continued.

10K furrowed his brow. “I used to think you guys were brothers.”

“Oh.” Sketchy gasped. “Well…” He looked back at Skeezy again- still sleeping, and wrapped up on himself as if he were cold. How he was cold in this humidity, was something Sketchy did not understand. It made him smile anyway, though.

“I sure hope not.” He concluded. His tone was flirtatious, and made 10K smile right along with him.

“No,” 10K said, playfully rolling his eyes. “I mean, you guys have that feeling like you’ve known each other your entire lives. I _used_ to think you were brothers, because of it.” He clarified. “I’m not stupid.”

“Nah, I met Skeezy out in all this mess.” Sketchy confirmed. “I’m not sure I would have met him _without_ all this mess.”

Sketchy paused and let 10K take a break in the current again. But, just for a moment.

“Do you ever think about that?” Sketchy asked. “Who you used to know, and who you know now, and whether or not you’d ever have met them if not for the end of the world?”

10K took a deep breath. He hadn’t. If not for the _end of the world_ , the chances of his father dying so suddenly were _slimmer_ . He wouldn’t have been scooped up by a kind-hearted stoner who watched too much TV. He wouldn’t have met Warren, or Charlie, or Addy, or Mack… _Or Cassandra_. However brief it was, he wouldn’t have met Red or 5K, either.

He definitely wouldn’t have met Murphy, but he didn’t mind that concept so much. What he did mind, however, was the realization that _Murphy_ was the thing that bound them. _With Murphy alive,_ they all had the mission that moved them forward together. _If Murphy sank_ like Sketchy said, then… What did they have? Would they stay together? _Did they stay together?_ What if they’ve already split up?

Again, 10K blinked past the nervous nausea that suddenly swept up in his belly. He blinked away the fear that he would never see Warren, or Addy, or Doc again. He didn’t add anything, and Sketchy was ready to let the conversation die there.

“If they’re out there-” Skeezy stated, all too clearly for a man that everyone expected to be sleeping.

Sketchy and 10K jumped, similarly to the way 10K had when Sketchy first approached him. They looked at Skeezy with wide eyes, and Skeezy seemed to not notice their surprise.

“I’m sure they’d want you to take care of yourself.” He continued. “Especially Doc.”

Sketchy looked to 10K to see if he was considering this, and the slow drop of 10K’s eyeline told him that he was.

“Sleeping- resting your mind- is a key part of survival.” Skeezy added.

“I’ve never had trouble before, missing out on a few hours sleep.” 10K argued. He defensively shrugged up his shoulders, and avoided looking at Skeezy _or_ Sketchy by finding some wind-rustled leaves on the ground.

“But…” Sketchy groaned. “You always feel better when you catch as many hours as you can, right?”

10K sighed, knowing Sketchy was right. They were both right.

_“C’mon. ”_

“We can’t _all_ sleep at once.” 10K pointed out, desperate for a reason to get back to his road flare and privacy.

“And why not?” Sketchy asked.

“We do it all the time!” Skeezy piped in- again, being much to clear and loud to be a man that was sleeping _that_ heavily just moments ago.

10K looked absolutely horrified. “You do not… Do that all the time.” He said, hoping so badly that they would say they were messing with him.

Skeezy nodded, and the fear on 10K’s face grew. Then, it made a quick transfer into judgement and pure bewilderment.

“I’m telling you, kid,” Sketchy said, chuckling under his breath. “Nothing’s gonna happen.”

10K considered this- considered the fact that they were _still here_ , somehow. “You have that much faith in this whole- _luck_ , thing?” He asked.

“I mean, it’s gotten me this far.” Sketchy replied, shrugging. “Gotta be somethin’ to it, right?”

Much to the theme of the night, 10K didn’t budge or have anything more to say. Sketchy knew it would be okay if he just let it go. He knew it would be okay if 10K stayed up the rest of the night, keeping watch and looking for his friends.

He looked to Skeezy, saw him pouting, and decided that he was _going_ to get 10K to move over with them anyway.

“Look,” Sketchy started again. _“if_ we die, you have my permission to cannibalize me. Alright?”

10K laughed- one, single, breathy laugh- and shook his head. He looked at Sketchy with a smile, and Sketchy smiled right back at him. He was happy to see him happy, even if it was to be short-lived.

“Alright.” 10K finally agreed. _“Fine.”_

“Yeah?” Skeezy cheered.

 _"Yeah.”_ 10K groaned. He lifted himself up and walked to the edge of the river. He ground the burning end of his flare into the rocks, then discarded the remaining plastic into the water once it was done bleeding orange. When he turned back to his group, Sketchy was already reclined in his previous resting place. Skeezy was curled up against his chest, looking up at 10K with a wide and proud smile.

Sketchy opened his arms as if to say _there’s room_.

10K shook his head. “I’m fine over here.” He said, pointing to a clear spot on the ground.

“You sure?” Sketchy asked.

“It’s cold!” Skeezy added in a tone that implied temptation.

“It’s not.” 10K and Sketchy replied, together.

Skeezy waved them off, and settled back into pre-sleep while tucked perfectly into Sketchy’s side. Sketchy looked to 10K one more time, keeping his arms open.

“I’m not really a _cuddler.”_ 10K explained.

Sketchy nodded, understanding. “Suit yourself.”

10K set himself up across from the two men, still hesitant about taking his eyes off of them.

“Goodnight, kid.” Sketchy said, peeking from one open eye. “Thanks for not shooting me earlier.”

“Goodnight.” 10K replied. He thought about leaving it at that, but added a quick “Thanks for talking to me.” The words left him as quickly as a breath, and as muffled as a thought.

Sketchy nodded, and let his head fall back. 10K waited a while, and then turned his attention right back to the water.


End file.
